Water
by Jaclyn
Summary: When Janeway's shower water shuts off, she demands that Chakotay let her beam to *his* shower, expecting him to leave first. But he doesn't - Janeway is furious, yet also....terrified? (Ok, the summary's pretty bad, but I don't want to ruin anything!)


  
"Water"  
~ Jaclyn (musicnotej@aol.com, http://www.geocities.com/tinted_daylight)  
  
Rated R - a mild R, but an R nonetheless (I suppose it could be a high PG-13, but just in case....)  
  
Disclaimer: All hail Paramount, those lovely creatures who forced J/C to become a figment of our imaginations, instead of a reality. *sigh* But since they own everything Voyager, I have to say that (as if you don't know....) or they can sue me.   
  
Please review....I crave feedback!!!  
  
  


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The water streamed down around her. Writhing ghosts of steam danced around her head.  
  
Kathryn Janeway sighed happily.  
  
It had been a long twenty-four hours. After pulling an all-nighter yesterday, she had planned on taking it easy today. But of course, even the best of plans find some way to go awry, and this one was certainly no exception.  
  
The warp core had almost breached, the replicators had gone offline, and 17 faulty gellpacks had had to be replaced. The brunt of the workload had fallen on her and B'Elanna, and the close relationship the two women shared had disintegrated as they spent the better part of the day snapping at each other. And then there was the myriad of PADDs....  
  
Breathing contentedly, Janeway massaged a generous amount of shampoo into her hair. And then suddenly, liquid ice was raining down on her and she was shrieking, and then - just as suddenly - there was nothing. Just chill air and a shaking woman with mountains of lather in her air.  
  
"DAMN!" she shouted, punching the wall and immediately regretting it.  
  
"Chakotay to Janeway!"  
  
She seized her commbadge from the counter and brought it mere inches from her face, growling, "Chakotay, I hope you're not in your bathroom, because in exactly thirty seconds, I am going to be."  
  
"What happened? Are you okay? I heard you scream."  
  
"Did you now. Well, THAT'S because I ran out of water rations, and right before I did, a freezing bucket of water just _surged_ onto my head! It wasn't an experience I'd like to repeat. And quite frankly, Chakotay, I don't think you want to mess with me right now. So you better get the HELL OUT of your bathroom, and I know you're in there because I can hear the water running, and unless I can wash this shampoo out of my hair and finish my shower in peace I am never going to speak to you again."  
  
"Not EVER?" Chakotay asked incredulously, trying not to smile.  
  
"Well, that's what I SAID, isn't it?" Janeway snapped.  
  
"But Kathryn, I'm in the middle of my shower, too. Now that's not fair, is it? I don't care if you're the captain, you shouldn't be allowed to take advantage of those of us who are more responsible with their rations. Don't you have a just bone in your body?" he teased, deadpan.  
  
"But we just implemented the water system....you have to give me time to get ussssed to it," she whined.  
  
"You were the one who PLANNED it, for crying out loud!"  
  
"But...." Janeway stammered. Then, regaining some of her will, she straightened and said firmly, "I don't care. I am beaming over to your shower _now_, Chakotay. I know you're a reasonable man. Surely, you've learned by now how to deal with an unreasonable woman-"  
  
"Wow. I can't believe you just admitted to that!" Chakotay said, laughing.  
  
"Listen, Mister. I am freezing my butt off here-"  
  
"And what a pretty little butt it is."  
  
Janeway gasped. "Chakotay!"  
  
"Yes?" he asked innocently.  
  
"That's it. I'm counting to five."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Fine?" she repeated stupidly. "You mean it?"  
  
"I said it, didn't I?"  
  
Janeway grinned in spite of herself. "Oh, Chakotay, you're the BEST!" she squealed.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Chakotay waited patiently next to the spot whose coordinates he'd fed the computer. A moment later, the blue shimmer lit up his bathroom. It actually looked quite pretty, being played off the stream of water that Kathryn so desperately craved.  
  
She appeared facing away from him. Sighing happily, Kathryn turned around.  
  
Chakotay grinned wickedly.  
  
For a second, he thought she was going to faint, and he felt horribly guilty as he watched her make strangled sounds with the back of her throat. But then she recovered herself, removing a steadying hand from the tiled wall.  
  
"The way I see it," she said, deceptively calm. "I can either throw you out an airlock, or kill you with my bare hands, right here and right now."  
  
Chakotay cocked an eyebrow. "Is that so." His eyes raked over her body, and she took an unconscious step back. "I think you're going to have some trouble with that, seeing as you're probably about a THIRD of my body weight."  
  
"Don't let that fool you!" she growled, grabbing the bar of soap and hurling it at his head.  
  
He caught it easily. "Well, now that you're here, why don't you just finish your shower?"  
  
Janeway's mouth fell open. The outrageous fact that she was naked and her first officer was naked and they were both naked TOGETHER in his shower had taken a moment to really sink in. "Oh. My. G-d." she whispered, clutching at the wall once more. "Oh my g-d....I....oh my g-d!" Frantic, trying to cover herself, she wrapped her arms around her chest and crouched down on the floor.  
  
"Don't," Chakotay said softly. "You're so beautiful."  
  
She shook her head. "You're insane. I can't believe this. I can't believe you did this to me...."  
  
"Honestly, Kathryn, I wasn't really expecting you to do it. To beam here. And if you did, I thought you'd had least have the sense to wrap yourself in a towel first!"  
  
"YOU didn't!" she accused, keeping her eyes down. Her voice lowered. "For the record, you're pretty breathtaking yourself."  
  
Chakotay watched her blush, and suddenly the situation hit him as well. He sank to the floor. "Oh my g-d...."  
  
She looked up, trying not to react to his lean, tanned body. Smiling slightly, she said, "See. I'm not the crazy one, it's you. It's beyond me how you let this happen."  
  
"I told you, I didn't really think you'd do it."  
  
"But you said fine!"  
  
"All you said was that you were counting to five. If you wanted to show off your mathematical skills, that was fine by me."  
  
Kathryn's eyes nearly bugged out of her head at his childishness. "You BASTARD! I can't believe you did this to me!" she repeated.  
  
"Did _what_, exactly? What horrible crime has the Maquis renegade committed this time?"  
  
"Oh, you know what I mean," she gritted out, furious again.  
  
"No....I don't. Personally, I think I should get brownie points for letting you share my water. Now that's the only action I could think of, and that one was good."  
  
Kathryn turned away, absurdly shaken up by this whole experience. She wondered why her eyes were tearing up. Pressing a hand to her mouth, she bit down hard.  
  
Chakotay waited until her breathing steadied, then he narrowed his eyes. It was time to make this woman pay for all the torture (sometimes exquisite, but usually not) she'd put him through, knowingly or not.  
  
He stood up and walked over to her. Kathryn tried not to let her eyes widen as she looked at him. Perhaps, subconsciously, she'd wanted this to happen. Maybe she'd even used up all her water on purpose. Maybe....  
  
Chakotay's hand was on her arm as he crouched next to her. Kathryn took a shallow breath, very aware of the heat radiating from him, very aware of....everything.  
  
She didn't pull away.  
  
Chakotay looked startled but pleased at that. He helped her gently to her feet, trying not to concentrate too hard on her damp body, and walked her to the old fashioned knob that controlled the water.  
  
Standing behind her, he whispered, "Turn it on."  
  
Kathryn's eyes were large and scared. "Maybe I should just go back to my quarters." Her voice quavered ever so slightly.  
  
Chakotay didn't want her to look so overwhelmed. "No, no," he soothed. "Don't worry. Nothing's going to happen that you don't want."  
  
She swallowed hard, then said very seriously, "I don't know what I want."  
  
"Do you want me take my hand off your arm?"  
  
"No!" she said quickly, loudly. "Don't....let....go. Not yet. I need to think...."  
  
"Turn the water on."  
  
Both froze for a moment. The moment was charged; the area where their skin met was electric. What Kathryn did now would change everything, they knew. Chakotay held his breath.  
  
Her voice was a hoarse whisper, fearful but brave. "Okay."  
  
He kissed the nape of her neck softly. She leaned into him, feeling his erection against her back and his strong arms wrap around her. She was unafraid.  
  
The water cascaded down.  
  
  
***  
  
  
A few minutes later, Kathryn was happily basking in the deliciously hot water with some measure of composure while Chakotay leaned smugly against the wall, watching, equally happily.  
  
"Why, Kathryn....you look so tense. Here, let me help you." Grinning devilishly, he moved to stand very close to her, invading her personal space, and proceeded to give her the most sensual massage she'd ever received. Or maybe it was just the man....  
  
"Stop...." she moaned, feeling the old fear well up.  
  
"Why? You're the one who started. I didn't ASK you to beam into my shower, naked and glistening, especially when I was in it. You did that of your own prerogative."  
  
He was too close to her. Way too close. _Her throat constricted_. I'm not ready for this, Kathryn thought frantically. She hung her head as her heart hammered in her chest.  
  
"I know, I'm sorry. It was a stupid, reckless thing to do. But after some twenty-odd cups of coffee - did I mention I didn't get any sleep last night? - it just didn't seem like such a bad idea....and I had to rinse the shampoo out of my hair...."  
  
"Sure you did...."  
  
"I did!"   
  
Chakotay couldn't help smiling. She had gotten so easy to tease....  
  
He hadn't yet stopped his ministrations. If anything, he'd gotten bolder. One hand was traveling down to her lower back, and the other continued working her shoulder and neck.  
  
She whimpered.  
  
"Chakotay, you're torturing me...."  
  
"I am?" He was genuinely surprised that he had the power to torment her. He hadn't anticipated a reaction like this. In all honesty, Chakotay had expected to be kicked out of his own shower after receiving a stern talking-to. Instead, his captain was reduced to a shuddering woman who _pleaded_ with him to let go of her. This was more than he'd even hoped for.  
  
"Yes!" She wanted to wiggle away, but couldn't find the strength to. She had turned into a quivering mass of jello under his touch. When had this happened? Last time she'd checked, she had been in love with Mark and had no eyes for any other man. She was engaged, for crying out loud! She shouldn't be feeling this way....and yet, she was.  
  
"Please stop. Chakotay, please...." she begged.  
  
He paused for a moment, uncertain. Should he take the risk? He bit his lip, then breathed: "No...."  
  
"No?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why?" she was almost in tears.  
  
Chakotay threw caution to the wind. Bending down, he whispered in her ear: "Because I am in love with you and I don't want to stop."  
  
She inhaled sharply.  
  
"Say that again."  
  
"Kathryn Janeway, I am in love with you."  
  
She seemed to go limp under him. "That's what I thought you said."  
  
He waited.  
  
"You know, when I commed you fifteen minutes ago, all I wanted was to borrow some water. I wasn't asking for any declarations of love!"  
  
"Think of it as an added bonus for being the most wonderful woman in the universe."  
  
"I'm engaged, you know."  
  
"To a man fifty thousand lightyears away. I think that gives me the advantage."  
  
Kathryn took a deep breath. "I'm sure you've noticed by now that I'm very afraid of falling in love."  
  
"Yes...." he said slowly.  
  
"It's because I'm afraid to lose you. With my track record...people I love either get killed or end up at the other end of wherever. I couldn't bear it if it happened again....if it happened....to you."  
  
Chakotay digested that. "Did you just indirectly tell me something?"  
  
"Maybe," Kathryn said defensively. "What's it to you?"  
  
He leaned over her shoulder to place tiny kisses along her jawline. When he could reach no further, Chakotay wrapped his hands around her upper arms and whispered once more in her ear. Kathryn stared straight ahead, barely breathing.  
  
"Turn around."  
  
Her eyes filled. Kathryn was so overcome with emotion she couldn't tell if she was happy since what she'd always secretly dreamed of was coming true, or if she was sad because of how easy it would be to get hurt now.   
  
She turned.  
  
"Are you going to kiss me?" she asked, her voice catching.  
  
"Yes," Chakotay acknowledged, drawing her closer to him. Kathryn could feel him pressing against her stomach, and suddenly the heady rush of desire was coursing through her veins, unable to be ignored this time. "But first," he continued. "I want to show you something."  
  
He took her delicate porcelain hand, brought it to his racing heart, and covered it with his own larger one. "Do you feel that?" Chakotay whispered.  
  
She nodded, unable to tear her eyes away from him.  
  
The water stopped. Neither of them noticed.  
  
"THAT'S what this means to me."  
  
The only sound was their shallow breathing. Kathryn slowly reached for his free hand, bringing it to her own heart. He lightly caressed her breast.  
  
A slow smile crossed her face. "I thought you were going to kiss me," she reminded him playfully.  
  
"Good memory."  
  
"Essential for captains of lost starships."  
  
"We're going to make this work, Kathryn," he said, serious once more.  
  
"And that's what _I_ want....yes, that's exactly what I want."  
  
He leaned down and kissed her, and the world seemed to stop.  
  
  


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_FIN_   
  
  
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